BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE MEMBER – ZIMBABWE

Diana Mavunduse is a skills and community development professional with an educational background in journalism and communications. She sees herself as a communicator for social change and social justice. Since June 2023, she has been focusing on finding solutions to not only Zimbabwe’s, but Southern Africa’s skill gap and has found the greatest need is with industrial welding. She has visited companies, government departments, High schools, Technical Colleges and TVET centers to foster partnerships to address the skill gap by reskilling and upskilling workers as a way of enhancing Southern Africa’s regional competitiveness, foster innovation, and contribute to the region’s economic development.

Diana’s 25-year career spans three continents including Africa, Europe and North America, where she has worked with various international NGOs. She has spoken globally on communication competence and freedom of speech as a foundation for civic engagement in developing democracies and advocating for meaningful women’s participation to be at the center stage in any development initiatives.

Before relocating to Zimbabwe, she worked as Community Development Coordinator for Dixon Hall Neighborhood Services, which advocates for and addresses the challenges faced by low-income families and individuals living in disadvantaged neighborhoods in downtown Toronto, Canada.